73-year old Kenneth Wade Brunette was found deceased today at approximately 12:45 pm by searchers. He was found on the eastern slope of the mountain by a search dog team.

The search for Mr. Brunette began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 after he failed to return from a day hike to the summit of Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous United States. Search efforts were complicated by extremely windy, cold conditions during the early part of the week. Approximately 100 people, including dog teams and ground searchers, and four helicopters, participated in the search.